Broken yarn detector



May 13, 1941.` J. L. HERMAN Erm.

BROKEN YARN DETECTOR Filed Dec. 2a, 1957 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorneys May 13, 1941. J.' l.. HERMAN ErAl.

BROKEN YARN DETECTOR 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Deo. 28, 4`19.37

A orneys May 13, 1941- J. L. HERMAN ET-AL 2,241,720

BROKEN YARN DETECTOR Filed Deo. 28, 1937 s shets-sheet s w L w v Inventor.:

By k@ orneys Patented May 13, 1941 BROKEN YARN DETECTOR J chn L. Herman and Edwin Reidenbach, Fort Wayne, Ind., assigncrs of thirty-three and onethird per cent to John Archer, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application December :28, 1937, Serial No. 182,116

('Cl. (i6-163) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in appliance for knitting machines and more particularly to a broken yarn detector.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an appliance for knitting machines whereby detection o-f broken yarn will be accomplished at the instant it occurs.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an appliance which will detect and indicate the arrival of the end of yarn automatically.

Another important object of the invention -is to provide an apparatus of the character stated which will efciently take up slack yarn, replacing the ring and Wire slides now in general use.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an appliance for knitting machines whereby the driving motor of the machine will be-stopped instantly upon the occurrence of a break in the yarn.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following speciiication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view through the appliance,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view at right angles to the sectional view shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is another sectional View showing the arm in lowered. position,

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 4 4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5--5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail of the pivoted end of the feeler arm showing the insulated ,guide eye in section, and

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view disclosing the electrical connections between the electrical devices involved.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that adjacent the yarn treating tank 5 is mounted a plurality of the appliances generally referred to by numeral 6. The yarn 'l passes through guide eyelets 8 in the wall of the treating tank 5.

Each of these appliances consists of a base structure B having ear portions I secured to the frame II of the machine by machine screws I2. The appliance consists of the case I3 having the removable side wall I4.

Secured to the back wall a of the case is the U-shaped member I; this U-shaped member being provided with the ear I6 through which the member I7 extends and into the wall a. A short shaft I8 extends through the leg portions of this U-shaped member I5 and passes through the loop I9 of the feeler arm 2i), which arm'is provided with the loop 2l at its free end through which the eye member 22 is disposed and through this eye member the yarn 'l travels as clearly shown in Figure l. Springs 23-23 are provided on the pivot shaft I8 andare associated with the arm 26 in such a manner as to tend to urge the same downwardly to the position as shown by the lower dotted line in Fig. l.

Adjacent the U-shaped member I5 is a second U-shaped structure 24 having the ear 25 connected as at 26 to the wall a. Through the leg portions o-f the U-shaped structure 24 is disposed the short shaft 2 which also passes through the ears 28 of the movable Contact arm 23. Spring means ETV-27 is provided on the shaft 21 and engaged with the ears of the movable contact arm 29 for normally tending to urge the curved end portion b of the movable contact arm against the stationary contact 36 on the arm 3|. This arm 3i is suitably secured as at 32 to the wall a.

An arm 33 is also iixedly secured at one end to the wall a, the free end of the arm constituting the stationary contact 34 which terminates in spaced relation from the stationary contact 30, as shown in Figure 2 and adapted to be engaged and bridged by the end portion b of the movable contact arm 29.

A U-shaped member 35 is pivotally mounted on the shaft I8 and is provided with a tapered insulation block 35 engageable against the shoulder 31 on the movable contact arm 29. As shown in Figure 4, the block 36 is held by one end of the springs 23 in engagement with the movable contact arm 29 to oppose its circuit closing movement, but when the feeler arm 2G is moved into its lowered position, the block 35 responds to the spring pressure of the movable contact 29 to overcome the springs 23 so as to permit closing of the circuit, as shown by the dotted line position of the movable Contact arm 29 in Figure 1.

It can now be seen that when theyarn 1 breaks, the feeler arm 2] will be moved downwardly by the springs 23, causing a decrease in the tension of the springs 23 on the block 36 and thus permitting the movement of the movable contact arm 29 toward the left to bridge the stationary contacts 3S and 35.

In this manner stationary contact 3l! closes the circuit to the trouble light 4I and stationary contact 34 closes the circuit to the electro-magnet 39, the armature of which controls the conventional stop mechanism 40 of a knitting machine s motor (not shown), which is actuated by the armature of the electro-magnet when the latter is energized. Simultaneously the corresponding signal light 4l contained in the circuit 38 will become energized to indicate that the yarn is broken.

The feeler arm 20 acts as a take-up for slack yarn without releasing the movable contact arm 29, the range of movement for the slack take-up purposes being shown by the upper dotted line position of the arm 2i! in Fig. 1 and the lower full line position thereof. Movement of the arm 20 below said full line position will serve to release the arm 29 from its full line position as shown in Fig. l to the dotted line position at the left for bridging the contacts Sil and 34. The tension on the springs 23-23 during the lowering of the arm 20 decreases to the extent of permitting the springs 21'-21 to overcome the pressure of the first named springs and thus allow the closing movement of the arm 29.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described claimed as new is:

1 In combination with a knitting machine, a switch structure adapted for controlling the usual knitting machine stop mechanism and including stationary contacts and a movable contact, an arm pivoted at yone end and having a yarn eyelet at the other end thereof and means yieldably connected to the arm adjacent its pivoted end and engaging the movable contact to normally maintain the latter out of contacting engagement with said stationary contacts.

2. A yarn controlled switch for knitting machines, comprising a pivoted arm having a yarn guide at its outer end, spring means engaging the arm for yieldably urging the arm in a direction for taking up slack in the yarn while the mathe invention, what is tacts having individual circuit connections, a

spring actuated movable contact adapted to bridge said stationary7 contacts to simultaneously close both circuits and means controlled by said arm for maintaining said movable contact out of engagement with the stationary contacts within a limited range of movement of said arm.

3. A yarn controlled switch for knitting machine-s, comprising a pivot-ed arm having a yarn guide at its outer end, spring means engaging the arm for yieldably urging the arm in a direction for taking up slack in the yarn While the machine is in operation, a pair of stationary contacts having individual circuit connections, a spring actuated movable contact adapted to bridge said stationary contacts to simultaneously close both circuits and means controlled by said arm for maintaining said movable Contact out of engagement with the stationary contacts Within a limited range of movement of said arm, said means comprising a pivoted member actuated by said spring means for engaging the movable contact member to oppose its circuit closing movement, said pivoted member responding to the spring pressure of the movable contact to overcome the rst named spring means upon a predetermined movement of the arm.

4. In combination with a knitting machine, a switch structure adapted for controlling the usual knitting machine stop mechanism as well as a. signal element, said switch consisting of a pair of stationary contact members adapted for controlling individual circuits leading respectively to the stop mechanism and to the signal element, and a spring actuated movable contact adapted to bridge said stationary contacts, an arm pivoted at one end and having a yarn eyelet at its outer end and means connected to the arm normally maintaining the movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contacts, said means releasing the movable contact for engaging the stationary contacts upon a predetermined decrease in the tension of the thread passing through the eyelet of the arm.

JOHN L. HERMAN. EDWIN REIDENBACH. 

